Goa's first-ever temple stampede at Shree Devi Lairai Jatra at Shirigao claimed six lives.
PANAJI
Goa witnessed its first-ever temple stampede in the early hours of May 3, a tragic incident that claimed six lives and left hundreds injured during the famed Shree Devi Lairai Jatra at Shirigao in Bicholim.
While the government promptly released financial assistance for the families of the deceased and the injured, no concrete action has been taken against officials allegedly responsible for the lapses that led to the disaster. Even six months later, there are no FIRs, no suspensions, and no disciplinary measures — only routine transfers of eight senior officials.
The State-appointed fact-finding committee held key officers responsible for their alleged role in the mismanagement. Following the report, all the officers — former North Goa Collector Sneha Gitte, ex-North Goa SP Akshat Kaushal, then DySP Jivba Dalvi, former Deputy Collector Bhimnath Khorjuvekar, former Bicholim PI Dinesh Gadekar, the Mopa Police Station PI, and the panchayat secretary — were transferred from their positions. Gitte has been moved out of Goa, and all eight officers were served show-cause notices.
By June, the officers submitted their responses to the Chief Secretary, who had told 'The Goan' that the replies would be evaluated before initiating any disciplinary proceedings. However, a senior official has now confirmed that the disciplinary panel headed by the Chief Secretary has made no progress so far. Police sources have also stated that no FIR has been registered in the case.
The fact-finding committee’s report had strongly noted that the stampede was “entirely preventable.” It attributed the tragedy to a series of systemic failures — poor planning, lack of enforcement, neglect of earlier directions, and inadequate infrastructure. The report pointed out that despite field inspections and testimonies from eyewitnesses, injured participants, organisers, magistrates, and police personnel, it was evident that the disaster stemmed from “a convergence of avoidable lapses and oversight” by key authorities. The committee further criticised organisers, the district administration, and police officials for not reviewing past incidents and failing to implement sufficient precautionary measures for crowd control.
Even as the government has not moved forward with action against the officers involved, the Shree Devi Lairai Devasthan Committee — who were also held accountable for the incident — has introduced preventive steps to ensure safer future events. One major reform is the mandatory registration of Dhonds (devotees) participating in the ritual. This decision is intended to strengthen crowd management and enhance safety protocols during the annual jatra.
Ahead of the next festival, the response has been overwhelming, with over 20,000 Dhonds submitting registration applications, signalling strong participation despite the tragedy.
